The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-03-31
RAILWAY MAIL AGENTS.

'PAAAe' AlA~ees VIC A"VHsPooH, W. SHtC1yo
| Times.
RAILWAY MAIL AGENTS.
The Meager Salary Paid Them for Arduous
and Trying Work.
Many seek appointment under the
impression that the position of railway
postal clerk is ''soft snap" but on
having their eyes opened to the really
arduous duties that await them and the
meager salary attached they resign in
disgust to seek easier and more fruitful
occupations. The position, if the appli-
cant fulfill the requirements of the
service, becomes easy to certain de-
gree only after long period of hard
study and application. 1t is any thing
but sinecure. To reach the top of the
ladder the aspirant must make up his
mind to vigorous application, and must
be possessed of reasonably good edu.
cation at the start.
As the first step he receives appoint
ment to the division in which he is
located through the influence of po-
litical or other friends. The division
superintendent then assigns him to
certain route. The examiner is notified
and the appointee is sent out on his
first trip at once. He makes an ar
rangement with an instructor, gener-
ally the one whose position he is to take
when qualified, and pays the instructor
the salary attached. At the end of fif-
teen days he is supposed to know the
''local scheme" and the contents of
book of instructions given him at the
start fairly well. If in this division,
which comprises New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Delaware and the
eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia,
he will be required to be ready for exam
ination at the end of fifteen days, and
will have to appear before either the
chief examiner or his assistant
| Assuming that the appointee is a
Pennsylvania, he will receive notice
of the time set for his examination and
apply at the Office in due time. The
large apartment is fitted up especially
for the purpose of testing appointees.
| The young man is first handed one hum
dred envelopes, each directed to point
ON his route, no two being in the same
handwriting. He is required to read
aloud the name and full address, and
must not make ten errors if he wishes
to pass. The facility with which he
reads, his pronunciation, whether he
wears glasses-everything is quietly
noted by the examiner. He is then
questioned on the matter of instructions
and must reply correctly to ninety per
cent. of the questions asked. These are
not very difficult, nearly two-thirds of
the questions suggesting the answer.
He is then set before large case, ar
ranged with pigeon-holes, these repre-
senting the separations on his route,
and is handed package of cards adj
dressed to the towns comprised in his
run. Each separation represents anum-
Der of towns, and the candidate must
know just what towns are comprised in
each particular separation. This can
only be accomplished by accurately
memorizing the list. If he be able to
reach ninety per cent. or over, he may
then dismiss his instructor and proceed
on his own account. If he can not, he
must continue under guidance until he
draws a salary as probationer of $500,
and proceeds to study up the Maryland
scheme
An appointee is supposed to be ready
for second examination at the end OF
thirty days after passing the first.
When able to case ninety per cent. OF
Maryland he takes up New Jersey OF
Pennsylvania, and so on until he is
familiar with the schemes of all the
States in the division. If capable and
persevering, he becomes expert and
makes his record" An acknowledg.
ment of his ability is then placed with
the division superintendent, and the
young man is on the road to promotion
He is advanced, accordingly, as posi-
tions above his own become vacant
There are five classes of salaries-first
$500; second, 5000; third, 81, 600; fourth
81, $50; fifth, $1,000. The highest salary
in local routes is $1,000. the fourth and
fifth extending into the trunk-lint
service.
| Many clerks never apply themselves
further than to be able to case theil
particular routes. They go through ex
animation after examination and al.
unable to reach ninety per cent. or
Maryland. These are the clerks tina
politicians, desirous of rewardins
friends, are looking for. for if they hav,
made no record they are liable to b,
called upon to step out at any time. |
viii readily be seen that the work is o
character to discourage those lookins
for easy jobs with big salaries. 4
large percentage of apprentices becom,
tired after the first trip and resign, 81
that the old hand is sometimes kept a
work for months before capable ant
willing applicant comes along.-Phila
delphia Record.
IL --AA* By a new process OF steanlins